The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-06-03

largest ever graduated from the institS
ton, and is as strong Intellectually as
is large in numbers. The members rep
resent number of counties in the State
Several come from other States, and onl
four live in Mankato. There are
Young men and &c young ladies'; 0 are il
the advanced course and 25 in the ele
mentary. The following are the name
of the graduates:
| ADVANCED COURSE.
Adele T.. Fiero, Gunder Gunderson
Charlotte Hallcngren, Addie B. Hand
| lev. Charles J. Monsoon, Homer +. Per
rim, Herman Schmidt, without profes
sional counsel, Louis III. Schellbach
Jesse Van Nalkenburgh.
ELEMENTARY COURSE.
Mary c. Bassett, jamie l.. Mann, Eth
ell Arnold Bell, Minnie Mertesdorf, l.
Emma Bender, Cora b. Noble, Lottie h
Bennett, Dora NJ. Pearson, Fanny 5
Blair, Ellie A. Robinson, Carrie NJ. Cas-
sidy, Mabel NJ. Runnels, Carrie &. Cook
Augusta Schellbach, Ole c. Dokken
Laura Esta Settle, Joanna III. Dunn
Grace A. Silver, Nina $. Fisk, HANNAH
M. Sodergren, Alice Johnson Anna B
Stokes, John Lien, Jr.. Mary NJ. Stahl
Hattie :. Stahl.
The following gentlemen occupied
seats on the stage: Rev. q ii. Richards
Hon. ID. l. Kiehle, Prof. +. A. Bechdolt
Mr.. l.. q. NJ. Fletcher, Mr.. Geo. ii
Barr, Mr.. Geo. III. Clark, Rev. IL. A
Bushnell and Rev. Il. w. Stevenson
These gentlemen shared with the Nor
NAL faculty the left half of the stage
AISLE O'clock the orchestra struck NJ
an overture, Golden Fleece" Mt the
close of which march was played, anc
the graduates marched in and took seat'
on the right half of the stage, the gentle
men occupying the rear seats. The
white drapery and waving fans OF the
"sweet girl graduates" presented prett,
sight. Many of the dresses were eie'
CANT. ~,
PRAYER was offered by Rev. X. w
Stevenson, after which Rev. Z. III. Rich
ards, ID. D., of Madison, Wis, the speak
er of the evening, was introduced. Mr.
Richards chose for his theme, Life as q
Fine Art" His address was magnifi'
cent effort. and the highest expectations
of the audience were more than real
lied. Mr.. Richards is an exceedingly
fluent and eloquent speaker, and held
the closest attention of his hearers dur
inc the address. The lecture was replete
with ant illustrations. The following is
an abstract OF the lecture, though no
mere synopsis can do justice to 1T:
The perfection of human life must be
based on the broadcast and most liberal
culture. A large mind alone can expect
it. There is danger of an UNCONSCIOUS
biSotry in the most noted men. Huxley
is inclined TO think the bible useless; a
mathematician throws aside Paradise
Lost as uninteresting. Each confesses a
narrow mindedneSs by so doing. These
are illustrations of one-sided education.
A wonderful awakening of interest in
art in this country has taken place dur
ing the past decade. Art galleries are
springing up, colleges are establishing
galleries and private houses are also be-
ing furnished with works of art. The
great masters in the domain OF beauty
are coming TO the front.
When or how the aesthetic sentiment
was first awakened in the human heart
cannot be told. There could be no art
until the necessities of life were invent
ed. Ii was evident that art was first
awakened in the stone age-the scratch
es on the hatchets were the first draw
inys; the rudely fashioned implements
the first sculpture; the primitive huts
the first architecture, and a single letter
on a piece of bark the beginning ofteleg-
raphy.. He related the ancient Greek
theory of the origin of painting and
sculpture. The Egyptians boosted OF
art 5000 years before the Greeks took 1t
up.
The manual rts-sculpture, architec-
ture, painting-come together. Art is
not field of culture of limited value, but
has been popular and democratic through
out ali the ages. Man was always an ar
fist, as is shown by the rock pictures of
Nineyeh, the arches of Greece, the
mounds of the Indians, and the pottery
of the Azte1s. 1t is fallacy that art can
be of little use TO the multitude. There
are many artisans who are not artists.
Reproduction and modelling Is not art.
Art is more than fidelity to nature-it is
creative.
Beauty is especially emphasized in art
and is an important element in nature.
1t is the sign language by which God
laws bare his own feelings and heart.
Beauty is of value only as it communi-
Gates noble thought. Art Is the utter
ance of this noble thought. 1t copies
and interprets nature. Art is not the
mere imitation of nature-it is the Ian
guage of nature. When Phidias made
his most noted piece of sculpture he fol-
lowed no human model. The beauties
of nature are Gods voice; art is mans
voice. There is plenty of beauty in our
own breasts. Art is the counterpart of
our inward image and we recognize it as
such Immediately.
The artist must love beauty of all
kinds. Beauty in its essence is spiritual.
The material elements OF art are OF sec
ondary importance. The artist must
have insight. He must not only be able
to master beautiful idea, but must so
handle it as to carry that idea to anOth-
err. Art is the embodiment of thought.
The notion that ii is merely the knack
to turn out pretty things lowered art.
The soul-swayIng sentiment OF Patti
makes her great-not the liquid sounds.
Intensity of desire and purpose in
bringing out art is necessary. Joan of
Arc and Mozart could have accomplish
ed nothing without their enthusiasm.
Art paints not faces merely, but hopes
and fears.
The truest and noblest form of art is
life painted as fine art, or the art of
making life beautiful. To be a sculptor,
money Is needed besides art. But God
has given us a quarry in our own hearts.
The elements of beauty lie in ourselves.
Art is not equal to nature.
Fidelity to nature is also necessary.
Health is physical fidelity to nature and
is necessary to beauty. Genuineness is
better than false appearance. Natural
ness and simplicity is beauty. True
greatness is always simple; the little
mind, otherwise. The speaker strongly
advocated simplicity IN life.
Skill is also necessary. The greatest
artists were trained in many things. A
truly great man is familiar with the tech.
nique of all professions. Utility is one
half of true beauty.
A great ideal is needed and must be
freely used. 1t is IN vain to build up q
beautiful life without noble ideal.
Enthusiasm is necessary in making life
beautiful, the enthusiasm that overcomei
all obstacles. He paid his respects to
dudes-both male and female. He liked
to see natural enthusiasm and feeling
shown. Enthusiasm is especially valua
BILE to the graduates. He congratulated
the class on closing the past and on wha
is to come. The hands that were to make
their life picture must be their own. AL
their faculties should be trained. "Shal
not we seek TO make our lives the yer,
embodiment of Gods thought-the liv
ing expression of his beauty"
The orchestra then played "Siege o
Paris" Both this piece and the oveTtur,
were finely executed and the orchestri
| maintained its enviable reputation TO
furnishing good music.
President Soaring introduced Hon. ID
L. Kiehle. Supt. of Public instruction
| who had consented to present the diplo
mas to the graduates. He made a few
relevent remarks in his usual happ.
style, during which he said that he en-
joyed an unexpected pleasure in repre-
senting the state and the Normal Boar'